Thomas Pollock Macnab
Thomas Pollock Macnab (1876-1936) of George W. Goodchild and Macnab
1936 Obituary [1]
THOMAS POLLOCK MACNAB was concerned for the whole of his career with the manufacture and development of machine tools.
He was born in 1876 and educated at Manchester Grammar School.
In 1892 he entered the Britannia Works of Messrs. Adamson at Hyde, where he served his apprenticeship until 1897.
He then entered his father's business, Messrs. Pollock and Macnab; the firm specialized in the manufacture of machine tools, and had works at Hyde and at Halifax. In 1900 Mr. Macnab became general manager, and a few years later he designed and superintended the erection of the new works for the firm at Bredbury, Manchester. He also reorganized the methods of manufacture, extended the use of jigs and limit gauges in production, and originated several new designs of machine tools.
After his father's death he became managing director and was mainly instrumental in designing a new type of turret lathe.
Between 1910 and 1912 he secured from an American company the agency for the sale of foundry moulding machines in Great Britain, at a time when such machines were little used in this country.
He went into partnership with Mr. George W. Goodchild, A.M.I.Mech.E., in 1913 and developed the sale of foundry moulding machines.
After the War was declared he established a factory at Tottenham for the manufacture of high-explosive shells, and there he also installed a plant for manufacturing piston rings for aero-engines. After the War this factory was adapted to the mass-production of gearboxes for the motor car trade. Mr. Macnab had latterly devoted much of his time to the design of moulding machines for modern requirements.
His death took place at Wiesbaden, Germany, on 11th December 1936.
He was elected to Associate Membership of the Institution in 1902 and was transferred to Membership in 1909.